Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-01-05
From the Christian at Work.
A MOTHERS DREAM.

ooh, dear" said tidy Mrs. Jewett,
esthere's Willie in the parlor again
with his muddy boots, and Jennie has
fingered the woodwork of the piano
all over, see, that | polished SO nice
ly only yesterday. [ know the door
of the spare room has been left open,
too, for the muslin curtains are
pulled all awry, where pussy must
have frolicked in the folds, and dear,
dear, there's Jack this minute with his
feet on that stuffed chair"
"Come, come, mother, / wouldn't
fret" said easy Mr.. Jewett, 'the
children must put their feet some.
where, and | suppose kittens will be
kittens and fly about where they can
find the most fun"
"Oh, yes" rejoined Mrs. Jewett,
"it's very easy for you, father, to
think children and cats can go where
they like and do what they please.
Tn not fretting. but it's hard work to
sweep and polish and do clear starch
ing, and men never did know and
never will know anything about the
work of a housekeeper and mother.
So saying, Mrs. Jewett, with her fair,
pretty face all in wrinkle, went out
OF the room with worried "Oh,
DEAR" and her husband looked after
her with compassionate, "Poor
mother"
Naturally, Mrs. Jewett was OF g.
happy disposition, but, like many an
other fond, faithful mother, she was
unconsciously falling into the habit OF
worrying over the inevitable faults
and thoughtlessness of her children.
She was a scrupulously neat house
keeper, and as her things had not
come as easily as they do to many
others, they acquired all the more
value and Importance in her eyes,
once they came into her possession.
But the usual restlessness and activ-
ity of boys and girls, and even poor
capering kitty herself, was fast devel-
oping in Mrs. Jewett that irritating
fretfulness and impatience which kills
true happiness and comfort In many
g. home, where the mothers real OBJ
iect is to make all as comfortable and
happy as possible.
In vain Mr.. Jewett limited that
things were always going wrong some
how, and that there was no end of
peev,shness and fault finding taking
root in the family. At such times
Mrs Jewett would shed tears and de-
clare no one could do more than to
spend all their time and energies for
the welfare of their family as did She
One morning the curtains we're dis.
covered to have been rolled up all to
one side, while the summer sunshine
was flooding with its wholesome light
the bright pattern of the new Brussels
carpet. Jennie and Carrie had left
their school books scattered around
on the chairs, and Jacks muddy
boots stood in the middle of the floor.
Mrs. Jewett burst into TRADE of
displeasure, but the children were out
of hearing, so instead of iudiciously
and patiently calling them in and
obliging them to put things in their
places, she began putting things to
rights herself, allowing Mr.. Jewett, as
frequently happened, to bear the
brunt of her displeasure, and for once
his good-nature gavesway as be said
pettishly:
81 declare, wife, it's a thousand
pities there are any children here to
bother you sol"
Mrs. Jewett made no reply, but,
going to her room, she sat down for
moment to consider whether or not
her husband meant what he had lust
said. But by degrees the room faded
from her vision, the house became
quiet, terribly quiet, the sunlight died
out, and shade and stiffness reigned
supreme.
There were footsteps heard, but
hushed, creeping, awed.
All of active life had ceased; even
kitty had taken herself off, and was
nowhere to be seen.
Mrs. Jewett reused herself, and went
from kitchen to dining groom, from
-di0ing-room to parlor. The invaria-
sble order was oppressive.
The curtains were rolled with exact
evenness; not the finest line OF sunlight
could pierce through crack or crevice
of the nicely adjusted shutters.
Every book was in it's place; the
chairs as guiltless of dust as if Just
cleaned, and the unblurred polish of
the piano reflected each undlsturbed
ornament and object in its vicinity.
But the children! Oh, the children!
A great appalling throb of appre
hension and whitening pain shot un-
repressed through the mothers heart
at mention OF their name.
Where was winsome, no longer mis-
'chievous, but winsome, Willie?
Where, pray, was sportive Carrie
and lively Jennie? Where, too,
bounding, loving, little Jack "Yes,''
she said, vaguely peering about in the
sunless gloom, "where are my precious
,children?"
She left dining-room and parlor, and